I've been asked so many times, "how do you make a skin?"
but what they really want to know is 'how do you make your textures?'.

First off, if you're looking for a tutorial on how to use your image
editor to make your textures, this isn't it.

Only by the sheer number of image editors out there, and the fact that
I don't even use the most popular one, would make me a poor instructor.
If you want to learn how to use your editor, work with it, or in the very
least check to see if it has a tutorial, or do a search to see if
there's a tutorial out there for it.

For those out there that have Micrografx's Picture Publisher I may be
able to help you out with your more specific needs, but otherwise, I'm
afraid you're on your own.

What I do have here though, is a quick work up on how I go about making
the textures I use in my skins. What sort of steps I would take to achieve
the desired look I'm going after. Right now there isn't much to this.
I don't really go into any details on how to use the different tools, but
merely mention when I do. I'll try to expand this tutorial further
into individual techniques later, but for now its just the basics.

We start off with a model that needs a texture. For the use of
this tutorial, I'll use one of the current models I'm working on, the Gamorrean
Guard.

I've decided to start with the Gamorrean's torso.

Here you can see an image of part of his torso's UV-map. If you
are starting with a model with a pre-existing skin you can just paint over
the original image if you like.

If creating your own image, just remember that your textures need to
be the exact same size as the originals (ie, if the original is 512x512
then the new texture must be 512x512).

The shirt is a patchwork vest made of various leathers. I've
looked at various resource photos and put together a pattern similar to
that of the original costumes.

First I'll start with a solid brown color with just the basic edges
of the different pieces sketched out. This way I can lay out my pattern
on the model and get it to line up, without having to waste too much time
going into fine details on it.

Something to note is that some models are uv-mapped in a way that may
distort sections of the texture. So, what may look good on the texture
might not translate well to what is shown on the model.

After you get all your basic details aligned on the model, you can
then continue working on your texture.

Here I've used my image editor's lightnes/darkness tool and followed
the edges which will make up the patchwork vest. Shading the areas
to give it a 3d quality, darker along the recessed side of the edges, while
lighter along the opposite, so it will appear as if one piece is laying
over another.

Now is where your artistic sense is going to need to kick in.

In order to make those basic shaded shapes look like leather, they're
going to need more detail. Rather than go in and individually hand
color each pixel, I've taken a selection of tiled textures, and have done
a few transparent fills to the entire texture (in the 85-95% range).

I've chosen an assortment of textures including granite, marble, tree
bark, and plaster, with an emphasis on a basic leather pattern. This
will give the texture a worn & dirty leather appearance which will
fit the models overall look.

I've also continued to lighten and darken the different areas, to enhance
their 3 dimensional qualities.

After darkening the texture a bit, I've done a few more passes with
some texture fills, and a bit more shading. At this point the texture
looks pretty rough and dirty, so I'm most likely done with the fill tool.
Using the shading I've begun to imply some basics wrinkles in the vest
not much at this point, but I'll pick it up later.

Now let's add a little more color to it,...

Using the editor's hue and saturation filters, I've recolored the different
sections of the vest to emphasize the patchwork quality of the leather.
By masking off the separate areas, and then applying the different filters,
I came up with 5 variations on the original color in a seemingly random
pattern.

I've gone through and darkened the texture once again, while adding
to the shaded areas to give them a recessed look. I also took the
time to add one final fill over it to blend the different colored sections
together a bit.

The texture still looks rather flat on the model though, so now it's
time to take this thing and really put some detail in it.

I've simulated some deep wrinkles in the leather by drawing transparent
lines in a pattern that I had decided on. Using white and beige fro
the highlights, and black and dark brown for the shadows. I use very
transparent lines usually around 80% or above while doing this, and I end
up going over each line multiple times. This is done so the colors
will blend in more. Afterwards I once again took out the lightness/darkness
tool and touched up the wrinkles where the different leathers edges meet.

From another image I was working with, I cut and pasted the round emblem
found on the Gamorrean Guards' chest. Since the color doesn't match
up with the rest of the vest, before I combine the new addition I'll alter
its hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast.

After matching up the emblem and combining it with the image, I went
through one last time with the lightness/darkness tool. Highlighting the
very edge of each leather piece, and then adding a slight dark edge behind,
I've implied a stitched seam line to the edge of the leather patches.

And there we have the finished texture. I know of a lot of people
who would have simply stopped after step 4. But, by going all out,
you can really create something memorable.